Automatic car air and electric coupling mechanism.



C. II. TOIIIILIIIISOILl y AUTOMATIC CAR` AIR AND ELECTRIC CQUPLING IIIECHAIIIISM.

'APPLICATION FILED IULV 29. IgM.

Paaented Dec. I?, I918 In aren'.

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as indicated by the reference character 17, and one through the lower tace, as indicated at 1G. The line 16 l call the brake line, and it passes alongr the under side of the drawbar to the swivel joint 14: and thence to the mam operating valve, which isi-indicated generally by the reference character 18. The pipe line which is termed the reservoir/line and indicated by the reference character 17 ,parallels the brake line 16 to the swivel connection 1l 'of the draw-bar 13, and. passes thence upwardly to the main controlling Valve 18, as shown in Fig. 1. The lines 16 and 17 communicate with the casing of the #controlling valve n'iechanisin 18 and with entensions of the same lines as indicated at 17 and 1GB beyond the controlling mechanism. 19 indicates a casing or housing` which is supported from the under side of each of the coupler heads 13'by any suitable means. The braclrets by which these casings are supported from the coupler heads are shown partly broken away in lfig. 1 oill the drawings, as this feature constitutes no part. of the present invention. Connected with the casings 19 are cylinders Q0, which contain any con venient form et pneumatically operated plunger, for operating electrical connect-ions on the interior ot the casings 19. These connections, as ordinarily constructed, are movable and their circuit connections pass through the cables 21 to the interior of the cars. -Air connections 2Q. in the forni of feed pipes, as shown, supply pressure from the reservoir mains 17 to the cylinders Q0. 23 designates a cylinder on and preferably within a hollow portion of the draw-bars 13, the same being supplied with a piston, the rod of which is indicated at 2l and is designed to operate the car coupler devices ot' any coinmon form. not herein shown. to their vuncoupled position bythe admission et air pressure to the cylinder 523 through the branch pipe 24a, which is incommunication with a portion of the main control valve 18, beingP controlled by this valve and having an ex* tended. passage through the pipe Q5 beyond the valve in communication with the ofi valve 71 in casing Elli, the operatingi button or lever of whiehis indicated at 27. Beyond the valve casing QG is a pipe connected with the pipe 31 which leads from the pipe 2,9 to an clectropneumatic valve operating,- de-v vice indicated by the referencecharacter 18a, Fig. 1. This device may be of any desired or suitable construction to operate by suit able means, as an electroonagg'net1 valve mechx anism `in casing 18 for controlling the passageways between brake lines 1G, 1li and reservoir line .pipes 17, 17% The details of a valve mechanism in casing 3() are shown in Fig. 2 `troni. an inspection of which it will be seen that the casing` 30 has a depending vortion by which it is secured, through bolts or other suitable fastening means indicated at ythe valve and the casing wa nae'aree 31, to the coupler head 13. 32 indicates a valve, the stem of which entends :forwardly through an opening in the tace of the cou pler head, so 'that when seated this stem normally projects a short distance beyond the forward face et' the coupler head 13a, the valve seat being indicated. at 32a on the interior of the casing 3G. A coil spring 33 normally holds the valve against its seat so as to' close the opening1 leading from the branch pipe 29a to a by-pass in the form of a pipe di. which is connected withthc brake line it, as indicated in Fig. 1.

The details ot' the valve casing 30 and associated parts are shown in Ythe sectional view of Fig. 2, illustrating the preferred manner oli' constructing this valve and from which it will be seen that the 'pipe Qt) is provided with a nipple 291 having an enlargement adapted to be secured to a threaded nipple on the casing 3() by the gland nut 30a. The cashingl 30 is provided with a chamber and a seat for the valve The casing 30 may for convenience be formed in tivo parte, one of which parts is indicated by the inference character 30". These parts are illustrated as screwthreaded togethe and enable the insertion oi." the valve 32 on the interior of the casing, and also permit the insertioirof the coil spring 33, which is interposed between l to hold the valve normally in closed position.

The `interior.' of the valve casing 30 is divided in two portions by a perforated wall, as shown in Fig. 2, which latter forms the seat for the valve 39 and the by-pass pipe 34 communicates with the chamber divided from the chamber containingY the valve seat, as illustrated in Fie: 2. The stem of the valve 32 is supported by the usual threaded gland nut, as indicated at 35, colierating with the threaded nipple on the casing): 30 and holding,lr in position suitable packing material around the stem ci the valve 32. s indicated at 36. The operation o'l my improved coupling` system. equipped kwith the improvements nei-ein described andclaimed. is as follows:

Two cars equipped with the devices illustrated in Fie'. 1 are brought together by suitable motive power until their car air Aand electric coupling devices are brought into thecoupling relation, as illustrated in Fig'. 1. The car a1 and electric couplingr devices, the details of which are shown in fix @fessure 3U? HUUR @nu of the caws fue Shing :u

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opem' .g' .P v same m@ ki; amen, s mam ve should apen 9 umich Gg cable 21 through the electrical coupler casing 19 to the cable 2l on the-opposite car, Where it will pass thence through e wire G2 to the corresponding electric engine inechenism 18 on that csr, thence through wire 61 on that car, not shown in 'the drawing, thence through the switch mechanism 'operated to thel closed position by the open oli-- valve 26 on the companion car, thence through a shunt `Wire extending to the cutoli' Wire indicated by the reference characn ter 65. In this Way it Will be seen that the circuit` 1would pass through the open. velue QG on the opposite car, shunting the battery 51 in that. car, and would pass through the wire 53 und the extension thereof heg/'ond the terminus of the Wire to the down .wire 6G of the opposite car leadingr to the csr truck where 'the current would he grounded through the rail 12 to the truck on the opposite side, and thence up line 66, over line 53, and down line 52 to Athe. battery 51.

y In Fig. 3 the detailof the construction of the olf-valve Qis illustrated, and from this View it will he seen that this mechanism comprises a combined Valve and electric switch mechanism, the stein of the valve being indicated hy the reference character 70.,-

cerr 7in@r at its lower extremit 'the valvev proper7 which is designated by the reference character 71. This valve controls the passageway leading from the pipe 28 to the pipe 25, this pipe being connected. With s, divided chamber Within the velve casing 26., the division wall being indicated by the reierence character 7.2, which latter contains the seat-for the valve 71, so that upon the opening el. the 'valve 71 by 'the depression ot' the valve stein 70 through hand lever 27., the pressure in the pipe 28 will pass into the pipe for purposes already described.. The valve stern 70 carries e switching member in the form of a plaine indicated by the refer ence character 75, and the stern 70 and valve 71 are held normally in the upper closed position by means of a coil spring l't inter posed between the lower extremicy oi' the valve 71 and the valve casing. The plate 75 may be elnstically secured relative to the stein 7 O by Ineens of coil springs 77 and 7 8, the former being interposed between the plete 75 and the Washer 79 lixed to the stein, and the latter being' interposed between the lower surface of the Washer 75 and the par tition Wall .in-the valve casing above the nut, which the fluid pressure line 28 enters. The

circuit wire is secured to e terminal post 80 protruding on the interior of the-casin-1r and the circuit Wire 61 is likewise secureld to an insulated postl 81 on the dizimetrically opposite side of the casing, so that when the valve stem is depressed to open the valve 71 the metal plete 75, hy reason of; the, pres sure of the spring 7 7 lahereuponas Yghe valve stein 7 0 is depressed, will he carried downmemes wardly until it will rest upon the binding posts 80 :and 81 and provide u switch connection between these terminals, Upon the release of the. hand lever 27 and the consequent closing of the valve 71 and the elevation oi the valve stein 70, due to the action of compression spring 7G, the spring 78 und the upward increment of the valve stern 70 will carry the plate to an elevated .position, ivhere it will Contact With the binding posts 82 'and 8?, which serve as terminals for the shunt Wire 65 und the branch Wire (31 'from the line 61.

Thus it will he seen that Whenever the valve 71 is open, the circuit wires (i1 and 65 Will he closed through the switch connected with the valve, and that upon the opening oi? the valve 71 in the opposite car the circuit will he completed und che battery in the car opposite the operator will he shunted.

'lfhe operation oil the device in uncoupling `will now he understood when it is seen that if the operator from either car press the olvalve 71 the reservoir line pressure 'from branch pipe 28 will pass through the olivalve 71, through pipe 25, to the main control valve lli. lVhen the main valve is in the open position with respect to the reservoir und hrelc lines 17 and 16, us it will he with the cars in coupled position previous to the uncoupling operation, it is preferred that the passage through the main 'valve casing 18 between the pipe. 25 and the pipe 2i will be plugged, hut the operation of the oil-valve 71, as we have seen, will close the circuit hetween the Wires (l0 and (31, through hinding posts S0 und Si und switch member of the `vielve, placing' the electric circuit leading to the casing 18d in circuit Awith oattery 51, with the result that fluid pressure from the reservoir4 'system of pipe 17 through -the branch pipes 29 and 31 will he effective to operate the 11min valve mecha? nisin withinlhe casing' 1S, to a position that will close the brake and reservoir lines 17 und 16* iu both of the cars, and the main valve should he of a type that the described lnovel'uent Willvrelease the pressure in the pipe Q5, heretofore referred to as plugged, and permit the iiuid pressure to enter the pipe 2li" through the flezgihle portieri thereof in front of the piston, Within the cylinder 23, which will' result in the-operation of the piston of piston rod 24, which controls the car coupling devices. Provision will preferably he made, as described in luy aforesaid application, although it forms no part ofthe present invention, for Venting the reservoir line pipe 17 upon the operation of the main control valve 18 to the closed posi` tion, which should relieve the pressure in the pipe 22 and permit suitahle'elastic means,

-not shown, Within the cylinders 20, on both -of the cars to 'withdraw the electrical con factors Within the electrical coupling casing cars is eli'ected automatically hy the loringing together of the train pipe coupling devices, and means for closing said 'Huid valves on the two said cars by the operator from a station in one oi the cars.

l1. In a system ot train pipe coupling devices on tivo cooperating cars, means Whereby a plurality ot fluid pressure connections through the coupling devices may be brought.

said cars for synchronously controlling the brake line and reservoir line systems, said valve mechanism being adapted to be operated to the open position by the bringing of the pressure in the brake line system he tween the said valve mechanism in -two cooperating cars'up to the normal pressure of the brake line system in either of the cars, and means on the coupler heads adapted to be operated by the bringing together of two cooperating coupler heads for bringing up the pressure of said brake line system between said valve mechanism of the two co operating cars and for operating said valve mechanism to the open position.

i3. In a system oli train pipe coupling devices on two cooperatingr cars, comprising a reservoir line and a brake line, the comb-ination of synchronously operated valve mechanism for,controllingr the pressure in said reservoir and brake lines, means .tor oper ating said valve mechanism to the open position by the bringing up of the pressure in the brake line between said valve mechanisms on the two cooperating cars. means for ley-passing air from the braheline on one side ol' the valve mechanism to the lorake line on the other side ol' said valve mechanism iind between the valve mechanisms in two coperating cars, and a device adjacent the said coupling devices and adapted to be operated by the bringing together ot two cooperating coupling devices for bypassing the air from the brake line on one side ol one of the said controlling valve mechanisms to the brake line on the other side of said valve meclr anisms. i

14. In an automatic car coupling system, train pipe coupling devices on twoA coperating cars comprising a plurality of fluid pressure connections through the couplers,

valve mechanism in each car for controlling said connections, means for opening,T said mechanism hyr the bringing together of the couplers, and ii'iqans on cach car to close the valve mcchmiisn'k in both cars.

l5. In. an automatic car coupling system, a mechanical coupler for automatically connecting the vehicles, a fluid pressure uncouplinv device for the mechanical coupler, tluid pressure .connections through. the coupler, an electrical coupler connected with the mec ianical coupler for electrically Connecting the vehicles, fluid pressure means for automatically connecting the electrical couplcr when the mechanical coupling is made, and means for disconnecting the mechanical and electrical couplers of both cars from a sol sure uncoupling means therefor; an elec-- trical coupler and automatic fluid pressure means for electrically connecting the vehicles when the mechanical coupling is made, fluid pressure connections through the couplers, and means in each vehicle for controlling the fluid under pressure in both couplers to disconnect the mechanical 'and electrical couplers.

18. A 'coupling fory vehicles, comprising train pipe coupling means connected through the couplers, valve mechanism for controlling said coupling means, an electrical coupler for electrically connecting the vehicles, fluid pressure means for controlling the electrical coupler, means for opening said mechanism to connectthe electrical coupler by the bringing together of the couplers, and means on each car to disconnect the electrical coupler and close the valve )nechanism in both cars.

A I l i 19. In an automatic car coupling; a me-l chanical coupler connected by bringing the ci rs together, and, fluid pressure means for uncoupling it; an electrica-l coupling con-1 nected to the mechanical coupler for electrically connecting the cars train pipe couplers connected through the mechanical coupler; fluid pressure means for operating las to control the fluid pressure means in both vehicles in disconnecting the electrical coupler. y

21. A coupling for vehicles, comprising a mechanical coupler connected upon impact, an electrical coupler, fluid V.pressure means connected through the mechanical coupler and including means for automatically connecting the electrical coupler, fluid pressure means for uncoupling the mechanical coupler, and valvular means in each vehicle for operating the uncoupling means and for controlling the electrical controllers in both vehicles to disconnect them.

In testimony whereof I have signed my 15 name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses, on this 12th day of MayyA. D. 1914.

CHARLES H. TOMLINSON.- Witnesses:

C. MARKS, G. L. BCHAN. 

